Strained Friendship
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Kendall's made friends with someone the other Rangers don't trust. Now that he's gone, she misses him.
1. A Friend For Kendall

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Dino Charge. This story is fan-made._

Her memory was still fuzzy, but she knew something was out there. The danger wasn't gone; that thought terrified her. To ease her mind and give herself a much needed sense of control, she had put herself to work creating a new charger. When it came to monsters, aliens and threats there was no such thing as too much power. She had a design for a new charger in the works and hoped when it was complete it would put the Rangers a step above the looming mysterious threat.

There was so much to keep her busy, but Kendall still had time on her hand. Some of that time was dedicated to Cammy. Other time was for Koda and Iva. There was time that belonged to Chase and Kendall took plenty of time for herself – just to be alone. But there was still some time missing. It was time Kendall had once spent with Heckyl. Her eyes watered as she thought of him, though by now she could barely remember his face. He had won her friendship only to disappear suddenly, with no reason. She could barely remember his goodbye, but chalked that up to being overwhelm with emotions. She didn't like goodbyes. They had never been good to her. Never had someone who said goodbye ever returned for her.

" _There's nothing I can say,"_ he had told her, looking sympathetic. Kendall felt the lump in her through grow, choking her up. There was a heaviness in her chest and lurching in her stomach. Her eyes watered.

" _Will you be back?"_ part of her knew the answer already. He would promise to return, but he never would. He was a musician, a traveling one at that. He had told her once before that Amber Beach was just another stop on his travels. He would find another town, another place with people who wanted to hear him play and forget all about the girl in Amber Beach.

" _Yes,"_ he had given her the expected answer. Kendall felt hope building up. She wanted to believe him. She hadn't given him a reason not to. At the same time, she felt stupid. She had been through this type of goodbye before and felt foolish for thinking there was a chance he was telling the truth. Even if he had the best of intentions now, he would never return. She had to accept that, and didn't want to allow herself to believe anything else. The fact that there was still a little bit of hope inside her shamed her deeply.

" _Where are you going?"_ she had asked him. _"How can I reach you?"_

" _You can't,"_ there is was confirmation of what she already knew and a new wave of shame washed over her. She wouldn't be able to reach him, she couldn't keep in touch; eventually, she would be forgotten. Seeing the tears in her eyes, knowing this goodbye, like all others, was hard on her, Heckyl had reached out. He kissed her forehead softly, pulling away with a smile as he looked to her, almost lovingly, _"I'll be back for you, Kendall Morgan. That's a promise."_

Somehow, those words felt truer than anything anyone had uttered to her before. Something had come over her, breaking past her doubts and her defenses, making her think that maybe, this friendship was something worth holding onto. Maybe, Heckyl would miss her as much as she missed him.

" _You have no idea how much I need you,"_ he had told her and that was the last thing Kendall remembered of the goodbye. He left, guaranteeing a return. Kendall wanted to believe him. He had never let her down before. Still, waiting for the day he came back was painful. She longed to see him, to speak with him. She wanted to have a friend who allowed her to let go. Around Heckyl, she wasn't Kendall Morgan, Museum Owner, Energem Expert, Tech Expert and Purple Ranger. She was just Kendall.

She stepped off the stage as her karaoke song came to an end. She had longed to feel close to Heckyl and this was the best way she knew how. As she walked back to her table, she spotted someone sitting there. He was looking over, clapping excitedly. Kendall felt her cheeks turn red as she sat down with Koda.

"You very good singer," he told her with a big smile. Kendall gave a little nod of thanks before having a look around. This bar was the last place she thought anyone would expect or want her to be.

"How did you find me?"

"Follow you from museum," Koda answered honestly. It would have bothered her that he was keeping tabs on her, but she trusted he had a good reason. She cocked an eyebrow, asking that he share that reason with her and quickly. "I notice you look sad today. Want to find out why."

"And you didn't think to ask?"

"Did ask," Koda said. "You not answer then get zap by new charger."

Kendall looked down at her hand, seeing the small but still painful electrical burn she had suffered that morning. Her hand still tingled slightly, but was feeling much better. It was nothing she hadn't suffered before in her lab. In fact, it was one of the more minor injuries.

"Heckyl took me here a couple of times," Kendall said, having another look around the room. Koda growled under his breath at the mention of the name. While Chase had seen a monster who owned up to hurting and controlling Kendall, Koda still had a bad feeling where Heckyl was concerned. It didn't seem likely the traveling musician had anything to do with the incident, but Koda wasn't about to write him off completely. His disappearing right around the same time Kendall had been hurt was too suspicious to let go. Kendall heard Koda's growl, saw his muscle tense up and sighed. "I know, you're not a fan."

"Can't put nose to it," Koda said, "But Heckyl is bad man."

"You just need to get to know him a little better. He doesn't like opening up to just anyone."

"Kendall not like open up either," Koda told her. "But I never think Kendall is bad person. This is gut feeling. And gut not wrong."

"What do you have against Heckyl?" Kendall asked, sounding a little defensive. Koda looked to her, seeing her arms were crossed and she was glaring at him. He knew to tread carefully and hesitated to give an answer, allowing Kendall time to add, "He's the first person _I_ reach out too. He's the first friend I've ever made that doesn't involve energems and spandex suits."

"Cammy is first person Kendall..."

"She needs friends her own age, I need friends my age."

"Koda is friend."

"You wear spandex!" Kendall growled. "I had to befriend you or you would have clubbed me to death."

"Not true," Koda argued. Kendall shook her head.

"Heckyl and I... we didn't owe each other anything. I didn't need him for anything. We just like each other's company. We're friends, Koda."

"I no trust him," Koda tried to reach out and take Kendall's hand, like she did for him when he got worked up but she pulled away.

"You don't have to trust him," she said. "You have to trust me. You have to trust that... that I can make friends too. That I can have friendships that aren't forged through a need to save the damn planet."

"But Kendall..."

"I've got to go," Kendall muttered as she grabbed her purse and walked out. Koda watched her leave before taking a look at the drink she left on the table. He picked it up to smell, then brought it over to the bartender.

"My friend drink?" he asked.

"Liquid courage," the bartender nodded, taking the glass to inspect it. "Most of the performers take a couple sips or so before they go up, especially the newbies. But this isn't alcohol."

"Not bad water?" Koda frowned, taking another sniff. He hadn't been able to smell any alcohol in the class itself, but this bar was filled with the stench of it, he needed to be sure.

"Well, it's not filtered," the bartender answered. "But it's not going to make anyone sick."

Koda gave a little nod then reached into his pockets. Kendall had stormed out, and from his past trips to restaurants he knew they typically paid for food and drinks after they were consumed. He thought Kendall had left without paying and that he would need to cover for her. However, his money was refused.

"Water is free," the bartender said, then pointed to a jar beside the register. "But tips are welcomed."

"Yes, tips," Koda nodded. He received a lot of them at work. He placed his ten dollar bill inside the jar and then hurried off after Kendall. The good news was that she wasn't drunk. The bad news: he had upset her. He wanted to make sure, wherever she went, she made it there safe.

"Wow, a ten dollar tip for a glass of water," the bartender smirked, lifting out Koda's bill. "He may be clueless, but I'll have him back anytime."


	2. The Trust That's Built

The night before, Koda had followed Kendall home. He had upset her, and even though she seemed angry with him, he wanted to make sure she got where she wanted to be safely. Fortunately for him, he lived with her and was able to keep an eye on her all night. Unfortunately, when morning came, Kendall was still furious. She had ignored him while they were getting ready for work, didn't say a word to him when they were in the car and walked off, leaving him to get to the cafe by himself once they arrived at the museum. He hoped she would come up around lunch to eat like she normally did and prepared her favourite sandwich as an offer of peace. However, Kendall never came up, and Koda only had five minutes left on his lunch break.

Koda sat down across from him at the table, looking down at the sandwich just sitting there. It wasn't like him to leave food lying around.

"I've never seen her mad at you," Chase said, then pushed the sandwich closer to Koda, letting him know it was okay to eat. If Kendall did come upstairs, they could quickly whip her up something else.

"Kendall never mad at me before," Koda sighed. "Not for long."

"What did you do?"

"I follow her to bar."

"A bar?" Chase frowned deeply. Koda knew why he was worried. He didn't like it when Kendall drank alcohol. Koda had only seen the effects of it on the scientist once and they hadn't been encouraging. Chase wanted to keep Kendall away from the strong tasting liquid.

"She not drink bad water," Koda said. "Man at counter say it just water."

"That's good then," Chase nodded. "But what was she doing at the bar?"

"She sing."

"Kendall?" Chase asked with a bit of a laugh. "Our Kendall? Ms. Morgan? She sings?"

"Yes," Koda nodded his head. "She good too. Remind Koda of mother."

"And she's good at it? You didn't happen to drink anything at the bar, mate, did you?"

"No. Too busy getting yelled at by Kendall to drink."

"Why did she yell?"

"She miss Heckyl," Koda said and saw Chase react in a similar way that he had when Kendall had mentioned the name to him the night before. Heckyl was in the clear for what had happened to Kendall, but none of the boys could shake the bad feeling he gave them when it came to their purple Ranger. "I tell her I not like Heckyl," Koda continued. "That when she get mad."

"I see," Chase nodded his head and looked down at the sandwich Koda had yet to eat.

"Think monster is back?" Koda asked, looking worriedly to Chase. "He control her head again, like before?"

"He said he wouldn't come back," Chase answered, earning himself a funny look from the caveman.

"Monsters not keep promises."

"Maybe. We'll keep an eye out," Chase agreed. "But... I don't think this is a monster's doing."

"No?"

"Like it or not, Heckyl was Kendall's friend," Chase said, thinking a loud. It bothered him that Kendall had spent so much time with Heckyl, for more reasons than just how close they got and how jealous it made Chase feel. "She doesn't make friends easy."

"Kendall make lots of friends," Koda pointed around the room. "She have me, you, Ivan, Shelby, Tyler, Riley, Phillip..."

"Non-Ranger friends?"

"Cammy," Koda answered.

"Her age?"

Koda frowned. That had been the same thing Kendall said to him the night before. She wanted friends her own age and didn't seem happy with her Ranger friends. It hurt Koda to think his friendship wasn't good enough for Kendall, to think maybe she wanted more and he was no longer good enough for her. He lowered his head, looking down at the sandwich sadly.

"This isn't easy for her, Koda," Chase said. "She's finally reaching out and... maybe we should just cool it with the hating on Heckyl thing."

"But Heckyl is..."

"Gone," Chase said. "If he was bad news, he took off before he could hurt her. Maybe... maybe we should just let her miss him. Accept their friendship."

"You not sound like you like idea."

"I'm not his biggest fan," Chase muttered. "But that's my problem, not hers. She obviously trusted him, and she doesn't give that away easily either."

Koda nodded his head, then chuckled slightly as he looked up at Chase, "Kendall take long time to trust Chase."

"Exactly, mate," Chase said, rolling his eyes as he remembered the countless weeks he had spent just trying to learn Kendall's first name. When they met, she had introduced herself as Ms. Morgan, insisted Chase call her that and refused to even give him a hint as to what her first name could be. Chase eventually found out by overhearing a conversation between Kendall and Koda and he used it, only for her to snap at him. He did wear her down eventually, but it had taken time. "So if she trusts Heckyl, he must have earned it."

"How?"

"I don't know. Maybe... we ought to trust her?"

"I trust Kendall," Koda frowned; offended Chase would think he didn't.

"So then we stop bagging on Heckyl."

Koda huffed, but realized Chase had a point. Still, it wasn't easy. Kendall had always had a say in the friendships Koda made. He learned to trust the Rangers through her. He learned to trust the other museum employees through her. He trusted when she told him to steer clear of some people. He didn't understand why it didn't work the other way around. Why couldn't he tell her he thought Heckyl was bad news?

"She did trust Moana," Chase added, but Koda could tell he was more so speaking to himself. "She knew I trusted Moana and that's always been good enough for her. I owe her the same, I guess."

Koda looked up and finally nodded his head. Moana was a friend of Chase's from before he met Koda and Kendall. Koda realized he didn't have any old friends, and that the friendships he had had been created with Kendall around. As he befriended the Rangers, so did she. She learned to trust them at the same time he did.

Then he frowned, shaking his head. He realised that wasn't true. He had been friends with the Rangers first.

" _Family?" Koda asked her. "Kendall has a family," he pointed to himself, "Eats with Koda every night."_

" _Koda..."_

" _Rangers... uh... protect Kendall," he explained. "Find out father bad man. Try to stop Kendall making fool of herself. Chase even... uh threaten to kick father butt"_

" _Trust me, Koda, they don't even see me as a friend," Kendall shook her head. "I make their weapons and sign their pay checks. That's all they want me for. That's not a family."_

" _That all Kendall do," Koda told her. "Friends upstairs working. Kendall down here. Hard to make friends when always alone."_

" _I like my privacy," Kendall shrugged. "I work better alone. I..."_

 _Koda gave Kendall a look and she sighed, "Alright, maybe it's not that I enjoy my solitude. Maybe it's just that I'm used to it."_

 _Kendall looked down at the pictures again, "It's just... mom always told me to keep my distance from people. They'll break your heart. It was practically our family motto. After she died, I was so hopeful dad would come and get me I... I never let myself get close to my foster family or anyone. I thought, when dad came, I'd be out of there, so it was foolish to make friends. As soon as I was old enough for college, I left and never looked back. I've been on my own since, working hard because... well, that's all I can do. I guess I've convinced myself I don't need anyone."_

 _Koda pulled Kendall in for a hug. She relaxed and put her arms around him._

" _Kendall has Koda now," he promised her. "And all Rangers too. Will be Kendall's family."_

She had trusted him when he said the Rangers would always have her back. His trust in the Rangers had been enough for her to not only accept that they were a part of her life, but that she could open up to them, that she could be a part of them, their team and their lives.

Perhaps, Kendall had put all her faith in him, and he had failed to return the favour. Koda made friends with the Rangers, she had trusted him. Now, she was friends with Heckyl. He should have trusted her.

"I make mistake," Koda said and picked up the sandwich. "My word good enough for Kendall. Kendall word good enough for me."

He left Chase in the booth and made his way down to the lab. Kendall was there working, lost in her thoughts but not enough to miss the caveman coming down with something to eat. She looked up as he offered her the sandwich.

"I sorry," he said. "You miss Heckyl. I listen, not judge."

"I thought you didn't like him."

"I..." Koda took a deep breath and shook his head. "That not important. Kendall like Heckyl. Kendall trust Heckyl. That good enough for me."

"He left suddenly," Kendall said as she set down her tools. She looked to the sandwich in Koda's hands. He gave it to her, knowing she ought to be hungry. "I have no way to reach him... do you really think he intends on coming back?"

"If he good friend, he come back."

"What if I'm wrong?" Kendall asked. "What if he meant more to me than I meant to him?"

Koda shook his head and stated firmly, "Not possible."

"Why do you say that?"

"Kendall mean a lot to all friends," Koda said. "You are special."

"Koda..."

"Mean it," Koda said. "Kendall very special. If Heckyl not come back, Heckyl miss out. It Heckyl problem, not Kendall."

Koda moved in closer and put his arms around Kendall, "For Kendall, I hope Heckyl come back. You deserve good friends."

"I miss him," Kendall said, leaning into Koda, letting him comfort her. Koda held her close, rubbed her back soothingly and nodded his head as he let her grieve.


End file.
